Venues
Can We Be Friends?
What makes for a non-toxic relationship with a venue
By Andrew Baker, Artistic Director
This is our second year on the road. We are by no means seasoned in the wild ways of touring theatre. But, over two summers working with venues, we’ve started to notice some trends that have got us thinking… What makes for the best, non-toxic relationships with venues?
They’re The Local Expert
Sometimes we feel like walking up to certain theatre office doors, kicking them open like they’re wild west saloons, flicking the brim of our hats, spitting in a tin, and grumbling the words “We’re not from around here, kid” in a gravelly baritone.
There is nothing more demoralising than having a venue take on your show and then have no interest in it actually reaching their audience.
Our favourite venues are the kind that say “So, here’s what we’re going to do…” followed by a happy cohort of local bloggers, journalists, and other publicity plans that resonate with the community in which they work.
Touring theatre companies, especially new ones, are working tirelessly to produce shows that will make people happy and get audiences to come back again in the future. They do everything they can to be visible online and part of the conversation. What they don’t have is the insider knowledge you get from being embedded in a local community. The best venues recognise this and share that knowledge freely and enthusiastically. Not-the-best venues either seem to have mislaid that crucial knowledge - or never had it in the first place - OR (and this is the worst!) put it behind a paywall - “Sure, we’ll email our subscribers about your show. That will be £100, please.” Come on! We’re meant to be in this together!
Don’t Wait To Share
This is something we have been guilty of this year - waiting too long to share copy and materials to help market your show.
Producing is hard! There is always something that seems more pressing or important, and a lot of jobs can get overlooked or delayed. To play our part in a non-toxic relationship with a venue, companies need to turn up with heaps of fuel for the marketing fire.
No one knows your show better than you do. Venues are not going to speculate or make assumptions about your work so, without the proper material, they will sit quietly, say nothing about it, and watch the tickets not sell. Always be ready to give them what they need.
In the spirit of “sharing is caring”, updates from venues on ticket sales, possible opportunities for exposure, and data from previous shows with a similar audience demographic can make the difference between a flop and a hit.
Who, How, And When
Knowing who to talk to, when they’re available, and what does/doesn’t fall into their remit saves time and tempers. Some venues, particularly the bigger ones, have a person for everything. Having a clear list of who does what and how to get hold of them means you can get to the conversations that need to be had quickly and painlessly.
Sometimes, it feels like you’re being gatekept by venues, restricted to one point of contact, all your dialogues passed along like a game of whispers. It takes longer and meanings change along the way.
Our favourite venues have given us multiple points of contact - Tech, Marketing, FOH, Community, etc. and suddenly, you can feel a part of the process and a valid part of the conversation.
Likewise, if you’re a company blessed with a big creative team, don’t confine venues to JUST speaking through the producer or marketing officer. Make yourself available.
Venues & Touring Companies need each other - so why do some relationships turn bad?